Enrollment
501
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Dothan, AL
Highlands Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 010123001448
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #3 of 11
- elementary schools in Dothan · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- students per teacher
- 38.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary School ranks #3 of 11 elementary schools in Dothan, AL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.8%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
-34% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highlands Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highlands Elementary School
Highlands Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Dothan, Alabama, enrolling 501 students.
At 17.9:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Alabama median, within a few percentage points of the 17.7:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 38.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 501 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 272 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #132.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and African American (22%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 501 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 25.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Dothan's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kelly Springs Elementary School (516 students): Highlands Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 19.1:1).
Dothan City also operates Dothan High School (1,588 students) and Dothan Preparatory Academy (1,034 students) alongside Highlands Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Highlands Elementary School compares
Highlands Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.9:1 | ▲ 1% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.8% | ▼ 34% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 34% below the Alabama average of 58.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 58% in Alabama - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,004
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 501 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 59.7%
African American 21.8%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%
Asian 7.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 59.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.8, Highlands Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Dothan City, which includes Highlands Elementary School.
$12,004
Per student
-4%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 21.5%
State 53.0%
Federal 25.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Highlands Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dothan Preparatory Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carver 9th Grade Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kelly Springs Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hidden Lake Primary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlands Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,588
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 1,034
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 516
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
Similar elementary schools in Dothan
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kelly Springs Elementary School
Standard public school
516 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Hidden Lake Primary School
Standard public school
476 students 19:1 students per teacher
Girard Intermediate School
Standard public school
449 students 29.9:1 students per teacher
Carver School of Mathematics Science and Technology
Standard public school
429 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Selma Street Elementary School
Standard public school
421 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Heard Elementary School
Standard public school
389 students 20.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~501 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highlands Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Highlands Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Dothan City's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Highlands Elementary School
How many students attend Highlands Elementary School?
Highlands Elementary School has 501 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Dothan, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary School is 17.9:1, which is 1% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highlands Elementary School?
38.8% of students at Highlands Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Elementary School is White at 59.7% of enrollment, in Dothan, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Elementary School?
Highlands Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highlands Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Dothan?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary School ranks #3 of 11 elementary schools in Dothan, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Dothan on the city page.
Is Highlands Elementary School a good school?
Highlands Elementary School earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Dothan City?
Besides Highlands Elementary School, Dothan City also operates Dothan High School (1,588 students), Dothan Preparatory Academy (1,034 students), and Carver 9th Grade Academy (583 students). See the Dothan City district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.